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The Red Studio

Unreal

I was interested to learn that Matisse's studio was, in fact, white, and not red at all. The dominance of the colour red in this painting, together with the flattening of the scene by the omission of the corner and "translucent" way in which the furniture is represented, suggest that the space depicted is only partially real and that Matisse is, to some extent, depicting a place that exists only or primarily in his mind.

Identity

The Red Studio* is an exploration of Matisse's identity even though he is not present in the scene, although is presence is suggested by the presence of the crayons on the table. The objects in the room could be considered to symbolise the things that, together, comprise Matisse's identity. Matisse's previous artworks are collected in the studio, like his memories and experiences. The crayons are his preferred form of expression. The goldfish (apparently) portrayed on the chest of drawers seems to be a motif of his. And some of the more mundane objects, like the plate and wine glass, are possibly a reference to his more everyday life.